Determination of acoustic parameters for a headset using a mapping server

Abstract

Determination of a set of acoustic parameters for a headset is presented herein. The set of acoustic parameters can be determined based on a virtual model of physical locations stored at a mapping server. The virtual model describes a plurality of spaces and acoustic properties of those spaces, wherein the location in the virtual model corresponds to a physical location of the headset. A location in the virtual model for the headset is determined based on information describing at least a portion of the local area received from the headset. The set of acoustic parameters associated with the physical location of the headset is determined based in part on the determined location in the virtual model and any acoustic parameters associated with the determined location. The headset presents audio content using the set of acoustic parameters received from the mapping server.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 determining information describing at least a portion of a local area; 
 communicating the information to a mapping server for determining a location of a plurality of locations in a virtual model for a headset within the local area and a set of acoustic parameters associated with the location, the virtual model describing a plurality of physical spaces and acoustic properties of the physical spaces, each of the physical spaces being represented in the virtual model with a plurality of space configurations, each space configuration associated with a respective unique set of acoustic parameters stored in a respective location of the plurality of locations; 
 receiving information about the set of acoustic parameters from the mapping server; and 
 presenting audio content using the set of acoustic parameters. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining visual information about at least the portion of the local area; and 
 communicating the visual information to the mapping server for determining the location in the virtual model for the headset. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of physical spaces includes: a conference room, a bathroom, a hallway, an office, a bedroom, a dining room, and a living room. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 presenting the audio content to appear originating from an object within the local area. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of acoustic parameters includes at least one of:
 a reverberation time from a sound source to the headset for each of a plurality of frequency bands, 
 a reverberant level for each frequency band, 
 a direct to reverberant ratio for each frequency band, 
 a direction of a direct sound from the sound source to the headset for each frequency band, 
 an amplitude of the direct sound for each frequency band, 
 a time of early reflection of a sound from the sound source to the headset, 
 an amplitude of early reflection for each frequency band, 
 a direction of early reflection, 
 room mode frequencies, and 
 room mode locations. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 communicating an audio stream to the mapping server for determining at least one acoustic parameter of the respective unique set of acoustic parameters based on the audio stream, the at least one acoustic parameter being stored into the respective location of the plurality of locations in the virtual model associated with a space configuration of a physical space of the plurality of physical spaces where the headset is located. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 tracking an acoustic condition of the local area over time; 
 determining a change of the acoustic condition of the local area over time; and 
 communicating the audio stream to the mapping server in response to determining the change. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 communicating an audio stream to the mapping server for updating the set of acoustic parameters based on the audio stream; 
 receiving the updated set of acoustic parameters from the mapping server; and 
 presenting the audio content adjusted based in part on the updated set of acoustic parameters. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining acoustic information by running an acoustic ray tracing simulation; and 
 communicating the determined acoustic information to the mapping server for comparing with the set of acoustic parameters, the virtual model being updated by replacing at least one acoustic parameter in the set with the determined acoustic information based on the comparison. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving the set of acoustic parameters from the mapping server; 
 determining a change of an acoustic condition of the local area; 
 responsive to determining the change, extrapolating the set of acoustic parameters into an adjusted set of acoustic parameters; and 
 presenting the audio content adjusted based in part on the adjusted set of acoustic parameters. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving the set of acoustic parameters from the mapping server; 
 reconstructing a room impulse response for a space configuration of the local area by extrapolating the set of acoustic parameters; and 
 presenting the audio content adjusted based in part on the reconstructed room impulse response. 
 
     
     
       12. An audio system comprising:
 a communication module configured to:
 communicate, to a mapping server, information describing at least a portion of a local area for determining a location of a plurality of locations in a virtual model for the audio system within the local area and a set of acoustic parameters associated with the location, the virtual model describing a plurality of physical spaces and acoustic properties of the physical spaces, each of the physical spaces being represented in the virtual model with a plurality of space configurations, each space configuration associated with a respective unique set of acoustic parameters stored in a respective location of the plurality of locations, and 
 receive information about the set of acoustic parameters from the mapping server; and 
 
 an audio controller configured to present audio content using the set of acoustic parameters. 
 
     
     
       13. The audio system of  claim 12 , wherein the audio system is interfaced with a camera assembly configured to determine visual information about at least the portion of the local area, and the communication module is further configured to:
 communicate the visual information to the mapping server for determining the location in the virtual model for the audio system. 
 
     
     
       14. The audio system of  claim 12 , wherein the audio controller is further configured to:
 present the audio content to appear originating from an object within the local area. 
 
     
     
       15. The audio system of  claim 12 , wherein the set of acoustic parameters includes at least one of:
 a reverberation time from a sound source to the audio system for each of a plurality of frequency bands, 
 a reverberant level for each frequency band, 
 a direct to reverberant ratio for each frequency band, 
 a direction of a direct sound from the sound source to the audio system for each frequency band, 
 an amplitude of the direct sound for each frequency band, 
 a time of early reflection of a sound from the sound source to the audio system, 
 an amplitude of early reflection for each frequency band, 
 a direction of early reflection, 
 room mode frequencies, and 
 room mode locations. 
 
     
     
       16. The audio system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 an acoustic assembly configured to monitor an acoustic condition of the local area over time, wherein 
 the audio controller is further configured to determine a change of the acoustic condition of the local area over time; and 
 the communication module is further configured to, in response to determining the change, communicate an audio stream to the mapping server for determining at least one acoustic parameter of the respective unique set of acoustic parameters based on the audio stream, the at least one acoustic parameter being stored into the respective location of the plurality of locations in the virtual model associated with a space configuration of a physical space of the plurality of physical spaces where the headset is located. 
 
     
     
       17. The audio system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the communication module is further configured to
 communicate an audio stream to the mapping server for updating the set of acoustic parameters based on the audio stream, and 
 receive the updated set of acoustic parameters from the mapping server; and 
 
 the audio controller is further configured to present the audio content adjusted based in part on the updated set of acoustic parameters. 
 
     
     
       18. The audio system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the audio controller is further configured to determine acoustic information by running an acoustic ray tracing simulation; and 
 the communication module is further configured to communicate the determined acoustic information to the mapping server for comparing with the set of acoustic parameters, the virtual model being updated by replacing at least one acoustic parameter in the set with the determined acoustic information based on the comparison. 
 
     
     
       19. The audio system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the communication module is further configured to receive the set of acoustic parameters from the mapping server; and 
 the audio controller is further configured to:
 determine a change of an acoustic condition of the local area monitored by an acoustic assembly of the audio system, 
 responsive to determining the change, extrapolate the set of acoustic parameters into an adjusted set of acoustic parameters, and 
 present the audio content adjusted based in part on the adjusted set of acoustic parameters. 
 
 
     
     
       20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 determine information describing at least a portion of a local area; 
 communicate the information to a mapping server for determining a location of a plurality of locations in a virtual model for a headset within the local area and a set of acoustic parameters associated with the location, the virtual model describing a plurality of physical spaces and acoustic properties of the physical spaces, each of the physical spaces being represented in the virtual model with a plurality of space configurations, each space configuration associated with a respective unique set of acoustic parameters stored in a respective location of the plurality of locations; 
 receive information about the set of acoustic parameters from the mapping server; and 
 present audio content using the set of acoustic parameters.